Ward found himself on the hot seat in May for tweeting that Michael Sam kissing his boyfriend after being drafted by the St. Louis Rams was “no bueno” and “disgusting.” He later clarified his stance in a statement, stating, “As a father of two, I did not find Sam’s behavior appropriate; irrespective of sexuality.”

LGBT advocate Wade Davis II, a former pro who serves as executive director of the You Can Play Project, also came to Tyree’s defense on Twitter. The two were scheduled to meet face-to-face on Wednesday, the New York Daily News reported.